Giants 2022 UFA Primer: DL Danny Shelton
Danny Shelton, Defensive Tackle
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 345 lbs.
Age: 28
NFL Exp.: 7 Years
College: Washington
Danny Shelton, a nose tackle, signed with the New York Giants back in March 2021, agreeing to a one-year deal worth about $1.12 million. The seven-year veteran came over after playing with the Detroit Lions in 2020, who initially signed him to a two-year deal in 2020, but released him shortly after the 2020 season ended, a season in which Shelton spent part of it on injured reserve.
The 28-year-old Shelton is a former first-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2015. He played three seasons (46 games) after being selected No. 12 overall. He was traded to the Patriots in 2018 along with a fifth-round pick in exchange for a third-rounder in the 2019 draft. While with the Patriots, Shelton was part of their run to a Super Bowl title.
In 2021, Shelton played 13 games for the Giants, missing some contests in the middle of the season due to a pectoral injury. His numbers were underwhelming compared to his Cleveland and New England days, but he did give the Giants a big body up front.
He had a couple of games on his docket where he made 5-6 tackles to go along with help on a sack, but his main contributions came with helping stuff the gaping holes.
More New York Giants UFA Primers
2021 Recap
Danny Shelton ended the 2021 season with 31 tackles (12 solos) and 0.5 sacks in 13 games played. He wasn’t much of a dominating presence in opposing backfields, but he was able to get himself there on occasion to tally a tackle for loss and quarterback hit to his numbers.
A few of his best performances came in the middle of the season, one in a Giants victory and two in bad losses. In Week 4, Shelton notched four tackles to help the Giants defeat the Saints in an overtime thriller 27-21. Then against the Cowboys, a 44-20 loss, Shelton had six tackles (season-high) and 0.5 sacks.
After the Giants' bye week, Shelton went to Tampa Bay to face his old quarterback from the 2018 Super Bowl run, Tom Brady, and the Buccaneers. He proceeded to get five tackles and one tackle for loss in a 30-10 loss on Monday Night Football.
Nothing too supernatural came from Shelton’s season with the Giants, but he at least offered them a big presence on the defensive line.
Why the Giants Should Keep Him
Shelton accrued 31 tackles in 13 games, with a handful of them coming in short-yardage situations where he stacked the middle. Shelton is a veteran and a big-bodied one who eats up space and appears to have a role in short-yardage and goal-line situations.
Whether that's enough of a role to justify giving him another contract is another story, but it's something he can hang his hat on.
Why the Giants Shouldn’t Keep Him
The subject of Wink Martindale’s system brings up a plausible concern with Danny Shelton’s return in 2022. Martindale runs a heavy blitz defensive scheme that values sending defenders to the backfield to relentlessly pressure the quarterback.
It’s been noted that Shelton isn’t a world-renowned pass rusher compared to some of his Giants counterparts, and he struggles to surf the line of scrimmage. The Giants need much more out of that rotational nose tackle spot than what Shelton showed himself capable of bringing last year--a lot more.
Keep or Dump?
Shelton was not a good fit with what the Giants ran on defense last year, and we sincerely question if he'd be a better fit for what Don Martindale has been known to run in the past. With cap dollars at a premium, we suspect the Giants will try to pick up a nose guard in the draft and move on from the disappointing Shelton.
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